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No. 608,986 Patented Aug. 9, I398. J. R. HUIT. DUPLEX CLOTHES PIN.

(Application filed May 19, 1897.) (N 0 M 0 d el .9

TNE NdRRIS PEYERS co. Puorauwa. WASHINGTON. u. c.

JACOB R. I-lOIT, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, 'ASSIGNOR TO THE HOIT SPECIALTYSTATES COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

DUPLEX CLOTHES-PIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,986, dated August9, 1898. Application filed May 19, 1897. Serial No. 637,274:- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB RQHOIT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and Stateof Iowa, have invented a new and useful Duplex Clothes-Pin, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means for attaching,temporarily and removably, articles of clothing and similar textilefabrics, commonly known as laundry-work, to a taut line.

My invention consists in the construction hereinafter set forth, pointedout in my claim,

and illustrated by the accompanying drawlngs.

The clothes-pin forming the subject-matter of this invention is designedespecially for use in conjunction with the clothes-line hanger patentedto me June 13, 1893, and numbered 499,323, but it may properly and withthe same degree of efficiency be employed with any common line.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of one of myimproved pins. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the pin shown in Fig. 1. Fig.3 is an elevation illustrating the securance of two distinct sections orpieces of textile fabric by means of a single pin to a taut line, thedotted lines indicating the normal position of the pin when not employedto secure the pieces to the line. Fig. 4 is an elevation illustratingthe normal position of a pin upon a taut line prior to the use thereofin securing pieces of fabric thereto, the dotted lines indicating theposition of the pin in securing a single fabric to the line.

In the construction of the device for use as shown a single length orpiece of wire of the character ordinarily known as spring-wire isemployed, and said length of wire is bent upon its center to form acentral loop or coil of a single convolution, (designated by the numeral10.) The wire is extended in straight or curved lines diverging at anobtuse angle relative to each other downwardly from and tangential tothe central loopor coil 10, forming what herein are termed branches 1112. The longitudinal axes of the branches 11 12 are parallel with eachother in one direction, and the central loop 10 is twisted or setobliquely relative to said longitudinal axes of the branches, wherebythe completed pin is free to oscillate on a plane transversely of theline on which it is used, the plane of the axis of the coil forming anoblique angle with a plane common to said axes of the branches. Byreason of the twisting or oblique positioning of the loop 10 relative tothe branches 11 12 the wire is bent or offset at 13 14:. The extremitiesof the wire are formed into spirals or coils, each comprising threeconvolutions designated, respectively, 15 16 17 and 18 19 20 of likediameter. The convolutions 15 16 are positioned on one side and theconvolutions 19 20 are positioned on the other side of a plane parallelwith and between the longitudinal axes'of the branches 11 12 of the pin,and the space separatingthe convolutions 18 19 also being spread orwidened to a greater extent than the space separating the convolutions19 20. Three convolutions are formed in each of the spirals at theextremities of the length of wire. employed to form the pin in order toprovide means of more convenient engagement therewith by the hand of theoperator and approximately the same resistance in the outer coils of thespiral as is to be found in the inner coils and the branches of the pin,whereby when the device is positioned with a clothes-line 21, engaged inthe widened spaces between the convolutions 16 17 or 19 20, or both, thelateral pressure of the convolutions mentioned relative to each otherwill clamp, clasp, and compress upon the line. The condition justdescribed existing, it is obvious that a fabric or substance interposedbetween the contacting faces of the convolutions and the line will beheld firmly, yet removably, in such position. It has been said that thebranches 11 12 of the pin diverge downwardly relative to each other andfrom the central coil or loop 10, and such provision is made in thestructure in order that when the spirals are engaged with the line 21and fabrics thereon, the said line being drawn taut and the axes of thespirals and loop thereby positioned in a common plane, power orresilience will be stored in the loop 10, tending to depress or movedownwardly the spirals relative to the line, thereby insuring thefabrics against accidental removal from or slipping upon the line, thetendency of the resilience of the coil and the lateral pressures of thespirals being the more firmly to seat the spirals on the line and retainthe fabrics in the positions in Which they manually are placed.

'1 claim as my invention-- A duplex clothes-pin, consisting of a singlelength of Wire bent to form a loop 10 of a single convolution at itscenter and branches 11, 12 tangential to said loop and extending inopposite directions, which branches are spaced apart at the point oftangency, the wire being kinked or offset at 13, 14 to parallel thelines of direction of the branches from the central loop, thuspositioning the said loop obliquely relative to the branches, wherebythe completed pin is free to oscillate on a plane transversely of theline on which it is used and removable and replaceable relative thereto,and spiral clamps of a plurality of convolutions formed at the ends ofthe branches, the loop 10 normally being out of line with the spiralclamps, the clamps being spread between the convolutions thereof.

JACOB R. HOIT.

